Longevity: The Hopkins Siblings Had It

Considering that life expectancy is currently 78.6 years,¹ the longevity of Jim and Cindy’s children is remarkable. The average age of their nine children who lived past infancy was 83.4 years.

James Arton Hopkins and Lucinda Howard married on Christmas Day 1885 in Harlan County, Kentucky.  Their 10 children were born between 1886 and 1906. The youngest son, Walter, was born and died in 1906. The next youngest son, Grant, died at age 60, but the other eight children reached at least 82 years old. Henry, who was 95 at the time of his death, lived the longest.

1. John Covey Hopkins born 9 November 1886, died 4 March 1969 at age 82.
2. Henry Madison Hopkins born 9 January 1889, died 7 Feb 1884 at age 95.
3. Elijah F. Hopkins born 8 August 1891, died 14 May 1975 at age 83.
4. Elmer Dennis Hopkins born 2 April 1894, died 26 May 1980 at age 86.
5. Orie Columbus Hopkins born 24 May 1896, died 25 March 1981 at age 84.
6. Leo Berry Hopkins born 28 February 1898, died 15 September 1988 at age 90.
7. Howard Doctor Hopkins born 26 January 1900, died 3 January 1988 at age 87.
8. Grant Hopkins born 2 August 1902, died 8 March 1963 at age 60.
9. Lula Mae Hopkins born 26 November 1904, died 18 October 1989 at age 84.
10. Walter Hopkins born in 1906, died in 1906 at less than one year old.

If heredity impacts longevity, the Hopkins siblings could probably thank their mother’s side of the family. Cindy died at age 90, her father died at 93, and her mother lived to between 80 and 90 (her date of death is not known). Jim died at 71 and his mother at 74. Jim’s father is undetermined.

The Hopkins siblings had 20 children between them. Ages in the 80s and 90s are still running fairly high in that generation. Four of the 11 who are deceased were between 81 and 95. Nine are still going strong with seven of them ranging from age 86 to 96.

 

Written for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge from Amy Johnson Crow